Incinerator



April 7, 1925. 1,532,758

E. B. KAY

INCINERATOR Filed May 23, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 7, 1925.

E. B. KAY

INCINERATOR Fild May 23, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 7, 1925.

EDGAR, BOYD KAY, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

INCINERATOR.

fipplicationfiled May 23, 1924. Serial No. 715,458.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR Born KAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at 1840 Mintwood Place N. W., Washington, District of Columbia, have invented certain Improvements in Incinerators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to incinerators and more particularly to a high temperature incinerator wherein the material to be destroyed is first dried prior to its reaching the grate, and provides for the generation of super-heated air under control to be admitted into a chamber beneath the drying hearth from'which it is led, under control, either through the hearth or through the grates or through both simultaneously, the

object being to provide an odorless incinerator of high temperature wherein all gases of distillation are consumed, the pre-heated airbeing heated by What otherwise would be waste heat.

A further object being to provide a simple, durable and inexpensive construction wherein the above results are accomplished in the most compact and effective manner.

Similar numerals indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section taken centrally through the incinerator with the wall between chambers 33 and 34 omitted.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the incinerator below the upperwall of the preheater.

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on aim 3 3 of Fig. 1.

ally occupied by an air space and employed here as an insulating material.

The incinerator is provided with the usual firing and stoking doors 66'in communication with the fire box and over the drying hearth, and with the ash and clean-out door 7 in communication with the ash pit beneath the grate. Immediately in rear of the grate 8,- is an inclined surface or hearth 9 on which garbage or refuse is deposited through a charging opening 10. The hearth 9 consists of an inclined surface built up of concrete and brick and surfaced with fire brick, the greater portion of which is open and provided with stationary or rocking grate bars 11 that may be rocked by a lever 12 mounted on a cross rod 13 extending through the fur nace and provided with means outside of the furnace, such as a crank handle 1 1 for operation manually or with belt or chain wheel (not shown) for operation mechanically.

Arranged beneath the hearth grate is a space through which the drying air is directed on its way to the grate. The lower surface of this air channel is also inclined and is adapted to receive any liquid that is discharged through the hearth and direct such liquid into the ash chamber or away from the incinerator. The air passage 15 extends from the bridge wall to the rear of the ash pit and the opening into the ash it is controlled by a damper 16 (see Figs. 1 and 3), which may be open in the event that a surplus of dust from the garbage sifts through the grate and is to be discharged by air blast through said channel 15 and up through the fire grate. The upper end of channel 15 is controlled by damper 17 between said channel and the chamber 18. Chamber 18 is in communication with the ash pit through passages 19 shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and the flow of air through said passages is controlled by dampers 20 as seen in elevation in Fig. 3. Chamber 18' may be supplied with a blast of cold or hot air which may be directed by way of passage 15 u scribe d, through dampers 20 beneath and up through the grate 8 or as a clean-out blast for the ash pit. The bridge wall 21 is arranged directly in rear of the inclined hearth and provides the through the hearth as above dethroat 22 through which the gases pass from".

the rear portion of the fire chamber into the combustion chamber. The portion 23 of the combustion chamber which is located directly in rear-of the bridge wall is provided with an inspection door 24- and with a charg- 'ing opening 25 for the introduction of dead animals.

In rear of portion 23 of the combustion chamber is arranged an air pre-heater. In the form illustrated, a blower 26 is operated by motor 27 or other driving mechanism and is in communication through conduits 28 and 29, controlled respectively Toy-dampers 28 and 30, with the preheater and direct with chamber 18. Cold air may be directed to chamber 18 through conduit 29 having a damper 31 at its inner end. From conduit 28 a pipe 32 controlled by damper 28" leads, through which air may be directed to chain- A ber 33, which with a similar cl1amber'34'is arranged longitudinally and beneath a portion of the combustion chamber; Connecting chambers 33 and 34 is a plurality of tubular members 35 extending from chamber 33 up into the combustion chamber and thence to chamber 34. From the forward end of chamber 34, air which has then reached a' high temperature, is directed through conduit 36 to chamber 18.

A horizontally arranged arch wall37 is arranged across the combustion chamber to divide it into upper and. lower passages 38 and 39, said lower passage 39 being occupied by the preheater. Passage 39 maybe cut off to cause the products of combustion to pass through passage 38 or left open to permit the heating of air passing through the pre-heater.

Means preferably adapted for closing the passages 38 or 39 are those of a character to enable the cutting off of both passages 38 and 39 to provide for the retention of the heat in the combustion chamber when the incinerating operation has been completed. Said means further providing for the operation of the incinerator as a forced draft unit or as a natural draft unit in the event that it becomes necessary to cut out the preheater. The form of cut-out shown for passages 38 and 39 consists of a pair of dampers 40 and 41 located respectively at the forward. and rear end of the passages 38 and 39 and consist of vertically slidable dampers of a surface area sufficiently to entirely close either the passage 38 or 39.

When the pre-heater is to be operated, both dampers are left in their upper position, thereby shutting off passage 38 and compelling all gases of combustion to pass through passage 39. On the other hand if it is desired to operate this incinerator as a natural draft type or to segregate the chamber occupied by the pre-heating loops, dam pers 40 and 41 may both be lowered in a manner to entirely close the passage 39. Again if it is desired to-confine the heat in the incinerator as above referred to, one of the gates may be left in its upper position and the other in its lower position which entirely prevents the hot gases escaping from the furnace thereby retaining the heat within the furnace.

By reference to Figs. 3 and 4 it will be noted that the design of this furnace is generally of an inverted U-shapeproviding asemi-cylindrical roof. The reason for the adoption of this design is to avoid all lateral expansion and contraction due to high temperatures. All furnaces of a high temperature character require the replacement of the fire brick lining at short intervals and in many instances, require the rebuilding of a considerable portion of the interior of the furnace due to its distortion as a consequence of the heating and cooling of the parts. In the form here shown, the expansion and contraction isconfined entirely to vertical distortion in the walls, due tothe insertion in the outer walls of a non-conducting diatomaceous earth or sil-o-cel lining which is interposed between the outer. walls and the fire brick lining.

By reference to Figs. 3 and 4 it will be noted that the space between the vertical outer side walls and the upper circular arch top of the furnace is filled with ashes or other light earthy material over which is arranged a cement slab 42 forming the top of furnace or charging floor which rests on the vertical side walls. There is, however, a small space allowed for between the top of the arch and the lower surface of the cement slab or top of incinerator. The upper cement surface of the incinerator provides a working surface for the charging of the furnace and with the construction here shown, it is possible at all times to Work on the charging floor without discomfort.

The operation of the incinerator with forced draft is as follows: The top 42 of the incinerator forms a part of the charging floor of the building in which the incinerator is located. The refuse to be burned may be stored on this charging floor and introduced into the incinerator through charging opening 10, which is fitted with a sliding pivoted cover (not shown on drawing), or a mechanically-operated cover with a magazine above the same (not shown) in which the rubbish is placed by mechanical means. he refuse to be introduced may consist of a mixture of combustible animal or vegetable matter, or a mixture of rubbish and garbage, such as is generally collected from the wastes of urban life. The material introduced through charging opening 10 falls on the inclined drying hearth 9. If this mate rial is dry it may be stoked on to the burning grates 8 through stoking doors 6 and a fire lighted over. rate 8. If the material first introduced through charging opening 10 is of a high moisture content and cannot be made to burn without preliminary drying it will be necessary to introduce dry combustible material on grates 8 in order to start the fire. Stoking door-6 in front of grate 8 may be placed on the side instead of end of incinerator if only limited space is available for stoking.

vertical expansion- Before starting the fire dampers and ii are raised, and as soon as the fire is well lighted blowing fan 26 is started by the operation of motor 27. All the openings of the furnace are closed and the cold air forced through ducts 28 and 33, U tubes 35 and ducts 3i and 3(5, or through ducts 28 and 25) into chamber 18, provide a plenum atmospheric condition in chamber 18, and the air is directed and controlled through dampers 17 and 20 to furnish the required amount 'of air through grates 8 and 11 to support rapid combustion. The gases resulting from this combustion pass over bridge-wall 21 through combustion chamber 23, and through passageway 39 of the combustion chamber in which 'is located the preheat-er consisting of a set of U tubes, said gases coming into contact therewith rapidly heats the steel tubes and raises the temperature of the air passing through said tubes from the blower on the way to chamber 18. The gases continue through flue 2 and exit through stack 1. Within a few minutes after starting operation the hot gases passing through the combustion chamber have raised the temperature of the external air forced by fan 26 into chamber 18., and this dry hot air is introduced through grate 11, controlled by damper 17 and also through grate 8, controlled by damper 20, into the furnace space above the hearth. and grates, producing acondition favorable for the very rapid cremation of combustible material. The gases which are produced in this furnace move into combustion chamber 23 passing over the material to be burned and being dried on inclined hearth 9. In fact, from and including grate 8, to the upper part of the inclined hearth, said surfaces become a burning grate or floor, because the oxygen of the air to support combustion is being introduced under the entire area by forced' draft.

Drying takes place very rap-idly on the inclined hearth by reason of the dry hot air being forced through grates 11 which air. not only on account of its dryness and high temperature absorbs a large amount of the moisture in the refuse and garbage to be burned, but-furnishes the oxygen necessary for combustion. Tn addition,the gases of combustion from material being burned on the main grates 8 pass over the top of the material on this drying hearth with a combined effect of not only rapid drying but burning of the material on said hearth. No matter how wet the material may be, which is introduced through charging opening 10, liquid material will not be transferred from the drying hearth to the horizontal burning grates 8, but if introduced in quantities greater than the hot air of the forced draft is able to vaporize and destroy, will gravitate into the air channel underneath the inclined grate and into ash pit under grates 8. This arrangement makes it impossible to deaden the fires on the main firing grate of this furnace by the introduction of material containing an excess of moisture or liquids. The location of charging opening 10 with reference to the drying hearth is such that dried material tends to gravitate towards main burning grate 8 and is easily moved forward. either by the stoking grates or manually stoked through charging opening 10 or stoking door 6.

For the complete control of the gases which are generated in the cremation process, dampers 40 and i1, constructed of fire clay blocks, are provided, the raising or lowering of which will enable the furnace to be operated at all times Without creating any nuisance in the vicinity in which the Y incinerator is placed, and without carrying unburned particles through the stack into the open air.

Should the preheater for any cause beout of service, cold air can be introduced into chamber 18 through conduit 29 and the amount and distribution controlled in the same manner as above described, by the closing of damper 28, opening damper 30, and the manipulation of dampers 17 and 20, and the dropping of the main dampers40 and 41.

Itit is desired to operate this furnace by natural draft, dampers 40 and' il are lowered so as to prevent the hot gases destroying the U tubes and the gases of combustion pass from combustion chamber 23 into the upper passageway 38 and into flue 2 and exit through chimney 1. and air is supplied by the opening of ash pit door 7.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, it will be seen that from directly over grate 8 the fire chamber extends to passage 22 located directly over the bridge wall, from said bridge wall the combustion chamber extends to the flue 2 in communication with the chimney 1.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters'Patent is:

1. An incinerator having a fire chamber, a grate, and an ash pit, a chimney and a combustion chamber forming a direct communication between the fire chamber bustion chamber, a drying hearth over which the products of combustion pass to the over which the a grate, and an ash pit, a

combustion chamber, a charging opening through which material to be destroyed may be deposited on the drying hearth, and means for forcing air up through the drying hearth to dry'the materialto be destroyed. i

3. 'An incinerator having a fire chamber, a grate, and an ash pit, a combustion chamber in communication with the fire chamber, a draft flue connected with the combustion chamber, a drying hearth over whichthc products of combustion pass to the combustion chamber, a charging opening through which material to be destroyed may be deposited on the drying hearth and means for forcing air up through the drying hearth into the fire chamber to dry the material to be destroyed and aid combustion in the fire chamber.

4. An incinerator having a fire chamber, a grate, and an ash pit, a combustion chamber in communication with the fire chamber, a draft flue connected with the combustion chamber, a drying hearth over which the products of combustion pass to the combustion chamber, a charging opening through which material to be destroyed may be deposited on the drying hearth, and means for forcing air up through the drying hearth and through the grate to dry the material to be destroyed and aid combustion in the fire chamber.

5. An incinerator having a fire chamber,

combustion chamber forming a continuation of the fire cham ber and a draft flue connected with the combustion chamber, a drying hearth over which the products of combustion pass to the combustion chamber, ing through which material to be destroyed may be deposited on *the drying hearth,

means for forcing air up through the dry' ing hearth and the grate, and means for controlling the flow of air through said parts.

6. An incinerator having a fire chamber, a grate, and an ash pit, a combustion chamber connected with the fire chamber and a draft flue connected with the combustion chamber and a chimney, a drying hearth products of combustion pass to the combustion chamber, rocking grate members mounted in the hearth and means for operating same, a charging opening through which material tobe destroyed may be deposited on the drying hearth and means for forcing air up through the drying hearth.

'7. -An incinerator having a fire chamber, a grate, and an ash pit, a combustion chamber connected with the fire chamber and a draft flue connected with the combustion chamber and a chimney, a drying hearth from which the products of combustion pass to the combustion chamber, rocking grate a charging open-V members mounted inthe hearth, a passage beneath the drying hearth having an inclined lower surface adapted to convey material falling through the rocking grate members toward the ash pit, a charging opening through which material to be destroyed may be deposited on the drying hearth and means for forcing air up through the drying hearth.

8. An incinerator having a fire chamber, a grate, and an ash pit, a combustion chamber forming a continuation of the fire chamber and a draft flue connected with the combustion chamber, a drying hearth located in the fire chamber over which the products of combustion pass to the combustion chamber and a charging opening through which material to be destroyed may be deposited on the drying hearth, a passage beneath the drying hearth, an air chamber beneath said passage adapted to supply air to said passage and through said dryinghearth, damper controlled communication between said air chamber and said passage, damper controlled communication between said passage and the ash pit, and means for providing said chamber with a blast of air.

9. An incinerator having a fire chamber, a grate, and an ash pit, a combustion cham- -r forming a direct continuation of the fire chamber and a draft flue connected with the combustion chamber, a divisional wall arranged in the combustion chamber to provide two passages for the products of combustion through the combustion chamber, and means for closing either or both ends of either of said passages.

10. An incinerator having a fire 'chamber, a grate, and an ash pit, a combustion chamber in communication with the fire chamber, and a draft flue in communication with the combustion chamber, a horizontally arranged divisional wall in the combustion chamber to provide two passages for the products of combustion, circulating air pipes arranged in one of said latter passages, and means for closing said passage at both ends.'

11. An incinerator having a fire cham her, a grate, and an ash pit, a combustion chamber in communication with the fire chamber, and a draft'fiue in communication with the combustion chamber, a horizontally arranged divisional wall in the combustion chamber to provide two passages for the products of combustion, circulating air pipes arranged in one of said passages, and means for closing both of said passages.

12. An incinerator having a fire chamber, a grate, and an ash pit, a combustion chamber in communication with the fire chamber, and a draft flue in communication with the combustion chamber, a horizontally arranged divisional wall in the combustion said coil.

- a grate, and an ash pit, a combustion chamber and a bridge wall, a combustion pit located directly in rear of said bridge wall, and a draft flue in communication with the combustion chamber,-a drying hearth over which the products of combustion pass, a

passage beneath the drying hearth and an air chamber beneath said passage, means within the combustion chamber for heating a blast of air onits Way tosaid air chamber, and means for controlling the flow of heated air from said air chamber up through the drying hearth, up through the grate, and into the ash pit.

14. An incinerator having a fire chamber, a grate, and an ash pit, a combustion chamber forming a continuation of the fire chamber and a draft flue connected with the combustion chamber, a drying hearth over which the products of combustion pass to the combustion chamber, a charging opening through which material to be destroyed may be deposited on the drying hearthand means for forcing a heated blast of air up through the drying hearth into the fire chamber for drying the material to be destroyed and aiding combustion in the fire chamber;

15. An incinerator having a fire chamber, a grate, and smash pit, a combustion chamber forming a continuation of the fire chamber and a draft flue connected with the combustion chamber, a drying hearth over which the products of combustion pass to the combustion chamber, a charging opening through which material to be destroyed may be deposited on the drying hearth and air passages beneath the drying hearth adapted to supply a blast of air up through the-drying hearth, air heating coils arranged in the combustion chamber in communication with said air passages beneath the drying hearth and a fan adapted to force air through 16. An incinerator having a fire chamber,

a grate, and an ash pit,a combustion chamber forming a continuation of the fire-chamber and a draft flue connected with thecom bustion. chamber, a drying hearth over which the products of combustion pass to the combustlon chamber, a charging opening through which material to be destroyed may be deposited on the dryinghearth, a divisional wall in the combustion chamber adapted to provide two passages for the products of combustion therethrough, "and means for controlling the flow of the products of combustion through said passages,

an air heatingcoil arranged in one of said passages connected with the passage beneath the drying hearth, and means for forcing air through the coil into said passage beneath the drying hearth and up through the drying hearth, and a valve controlled opening from said passage beneath the drying hearth to the ash pit beneath the grate.

17. An incinerator having a fire chamber, a grate, and an ash pit, a combustion chamber lll'COlIlIIlllIllQfltlOIl with the fire chamber and a chimney connected through a draft flue with the combustion chamber, a drying hearth located in the fire chamber having a perforated surface, a passage beneath the drying hearth having a lower surface inclined toward the ash pit, an air chamber located beneath said passage, a valve controlled opening between said air chamber and said passage, a valve controlled opening between said passage and the ash pit, and a valve controlled passage between said air chamber and the ash pit, a divisional wall arranged in the combustion chamber to form two passages for the products of combustion, dampers at opposite ends of said passages to control the flow of products of combustion through said passages, air chambers arranged beneath the floor of the combustion chamber connected by a plurality of tubular members extending up into one of the passages of the combustion chamber, air passages leading from one of said air chambers beneath the combustion chamber to the air passage beneath the drying' hearth, and a blast fan connected with the air chamber beneath the combustion chamber, adapted to force air through said parts and up through the drying hearth.

18. An incinerator having a fire chamber, a grate, .and anashpit, a combustion chain ber connected with the fire chamber, and a draft flue connected with the combustion chamber, a drying hearth located in the fire chamber over which the products of combustion pass to the combustion chamber,:

means .for supplying a blast of air up through the drying hearth, means-for heating said blast 'of air and .means for controlling said'heating means. y i 19. An incinerator having a fire chamber,

. a grate, and an ash pit, a combustion chamber in communication with the fire chamber and a draft fiue connected with the compassage, aircontrolled passages from said a chamber into the ash pit, a source of air supply under pressure in communication with said chamber within the incinerator. meaiis for heating the air supply on its passage from its source to said chamber, and means for controlling the heating means.

20. An incinerator having, a fire chamber, a grate, and an ash pit, a combustion chamher in communication with the fire chamber, and'a draft flue connected with the combustion chamber, a drying hearth in the fire chamber, a charging opening through which material to be destroyed may be deposited on the drying hearth. where the heat in the fire chamber is applied to the material to be destroyed that has been deposited on the grate. and means for forcing air up through said material.

EDGAR BOYD KAY. 

